


NAME: STEPHEN

by mish_mish



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, android!stephen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-05-24 10:50:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14953247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mish_mish/pseuds/mish_mish
Summary: Detroit: Become Human AUTony wouldn’t say that he hates the androids. His attitude towards them is neutral, but he doesn’t want to get one of them for himself. Tony is enough that representatives of the CyberLife Corporation themselves contact him when they are engaged in the development of new advanced models and are interested in his advice.





	1. 01

[](https://ibb.co/i2V1qJ) [](https://ibb.co/bWb7VJ)

Tony sighs and covers his eyes for a moment. He wants to go to bed and continue his work tomorrow, but it seems like something holding him back and this is not any kind of deadline. To be honest, the question of time doesn’t bother Tony Stark at all, because he has no limitations in this. Especially, when the world’s leading android manufacturer and retailer appeals for advice and assistance in the development of their new models.

Tony looks up into the corner of his studio, where one of their machines sits. The male android whom the CyberLife sent to Stark for the analysis of all his biocomponents and for the check of his hands motility. As the representative of the company explained to Jarvis, this is a new model unique in its kind, but not as perfect as they want it to be.  
At first, Stark didn’t want to take this work, but literally the day before yesterday he had changed his mind. Engage in the development and an assembly of androids is fascinating, through.

This android came to Stark’s tower last morning and didn’t cause Tony any admiring feelings. He looks like any ordinary robot that the CyberLife creats.  
At first he was not very talkative and Tony was sure that he would also have to reactivate his voice module, until he heard a polite reproach to his phrase.  
Tony was looking at the files that the android sent over the network to Jarvis with his own data, technical charts and a list of exploitative brief. Tony rubbed his cheek with his hand, indignant that the CyberLife had somehow overlooked to give their android the model name and number in the documents.  
“Since I will be the first model in this line, the developers have deemed it necessary to leave only the serial number. If, to you, Mr. Stark, it’s not so convenient to pronounce all the eleven-digit code, then, I believe, you can choose a shorter name for me.”  
Confused for a moment from such an answer, and the answer in principle, Tony then only turned away, slightly smiling. He decides to think about the name for this android later.


	2. 02

[](https://ibb.co/fxeuxy) [](https://ibb.co/f23yPd)

[](https://ibb.co/f23yPd)

The android spoke rarely with Tony. He only answered questions, but Stark didn’t need an interlocutor.

In the workshop is quiet now, and Tony doesn’t want to change it; he tiredly rubs bridge of his nose and covers his eyes. He spent all last night working here and now willingly wants to go to sleep. But he still can’t just leave without solving the problem, and the problem is that the android that was sent to him by the CyberLife, no matter how much Tony tried to change the settings in the programs and clean the completely new tubes under the plastic shell, the android was still not perfect.

Tony sighs and stretches forward to take the robot’s left arm into his. He runs his fingers along the android’s wrist, deactivating the skin color function and removing the top panel from his hand. The intertwining of thin wires around the steel skeleton already annoys Tony, because no matter how much he changes the combination, no matter how many times the android’s hand is dismantled to the elbow, he hasn’t achieved any good results so far. Bending over the android’s wrist, Tony feels an attentive look on himself. The gaze that the android gives him is so intensive. It descends on Tony’s shoulders, and then slowly reaches to the hands, which are so diligently trying to fix him. And with this look, Tony feels so strange and so unusual that he wants to immediately order the android not to look at him.

“Mr. Stark, maybe you should…” The android begins to speak when Tony interrupts him, frowning a little.

“Mr? What with this "Mr.”? Tony doesn’t get distracted from work, but he feels that he already needs it.

“As I know, and as you will know now, "Mr” is used as a form of address and polite reference to a man.“

Tony finally looks up at the android and rolls his eyes when he sees a very tiny smile on the robot’s lips.

"I didn’t know that the addition of such features as sarcasm to the program of androids is encouraged in the CyberLife. Is this not a manifestation of deviation? They kind of try to avoid this.”

“Apparently they thought that it wouldn’t be superfluous when they decided to send me to you.” The android looks down at his still dismantled hand and looks back at Stark. Tony is looking at him in return; he still ignores the need to choose a name for this android, hoping that he will not hold it for more than a few days.

“Most likely, they’re tired of changing after me the behavior settings for their toys,” Tony smiles.

He looks at this latest perfect model, which is still not as perfect. The android, whose purpose is to perform operations in neurosurgery. Perform them successfully, but with such hands that tremble with a small tremor, it is unlikely to be possible. Tony looks at him and sighs heavily. Now it is clearly better for him to go and sleep, and tomorrow he will conduct a full analysis of limb motility to find the cause and adjust everything.


	3. 03

[ ](https://ibb.co/fJX0c8)

Tony is very annoyed that for twenty minutes android does not take his eyes off him. In fact, he does not bother Tony’s much, but Stark is still not thrilled with this. The feelings of being looked at and analyzed are annoying. So for this reason, Tony prefers to work with disconnected androids that do not decide to speak during work or do not stare at him. But this time it does not work and it is necessary that this android be in full working order and ready to answer any question, so that Tony could watch how the chances of success change.

Wiping traces of the thirium from his fingers, Stark looks at the disassembled hand of the android. The procedure is dangerous, which can damage the robot, bring down all his functionality, but Tony was extremely cautious, opening the body of the forearm and detaching android’s hand from his body. The LED on the android’s temple changes color from blue to yellow and back, only a couple of times blinking red. Looking up at the android, Tony finally decides to ask him:

“How does it feel? You’re not gonna shut down?”

Tony raises his hand and snaps his fingers in front of the android’s face, a little grinning as he watches his movements with a glance.

“My systems send signals of a technical failure, but I think I can not shut down for a while,” the android says with a deep and magic velvety voice. “Moreover, you did not damage any of my biocomponents.”

He says it somehow in a special way, softly, but with condescension, as if reluctantly acknowledging that Stark did a good job.

Tony glances at the android, and finally wonders what name he should choose for this machine, although he could still use the already familiar treatment “A piece of plastic.” Tony sorts the names in his head lazily, not even trying particularly, and when he returns to the robot to attach the hand back to his body, he asks:

“How about Stephen?”

The android remains silent for a second; the LED on his right temple flashes with a pure blue light, quickly, as if at twice the speed. Tony likes it. It’s like the android is in confusion, but does not show it.

“Shall I register it?”

“If your program thinks it’s necessary, then go ahead,” Tony says, seemingly indifferent, but still feels pleased. He does not have his own androids, although the CyberLife more than once offered to acquire one of their novelties, even presented them as their gift to him, but Stark never wanted one for him. Jarvis does an excellent job alone, so the robot is unlikely to be useful. Perhaps for this reason, Tony feels extraordinary excitement, giving the name to the android and seeing how his lips move and barely audible say:

“Name: Stephen.”

A small glowing ring on his temple flickers, signaling the process of recording and registering a new name and Stark feels like a satisfied smile spreading on his own lips. Suddenly is so pleasant to hear this, as if it were indeed his android, and not for a few days arrived.

Back to the android’s hand, Tony feels a new surge of strength and enthusiasm.

“What the hell did these robotics do, that now so much effort is needed for such a simple fix?”

“I suppose they did not do anything good since you, Mr. Stark, have to repair their android, which has not even been officially put into operation yet.”

“There do not need any Mr. We already talked about this.” Tony says as putting aside the clamp and wiping out the thirium, that a viscous blue liquid flows over Stephen’s white hand down to his fingers. The android does not say that something is bothering him, but near to Tony there is a blue blood package and a set of biocomponents that may be needed to replace some fragments in his hands.

Stephen does not respond and watches closely as Stark finishes attaching his hand to his body. Tony sighs with annoyance when he discovers that the trembling has not disappeared. He promises to deal with this tomorrow, but for now he leaves the android alone with his home robot DUM-E.


	4. Chapter 4

[ ](https://ibb.co/n5KwAT)

It seems to Tony Stark that he is already close to unraveling what kind of breaking Stephen has. He conducted a full examination of the right hand of the android, but only on the third day realized that with the motor system everything was fine, only a small adjustment of the valves was required. The solution to the problem has not yet been found definitively; Tony tries on other details from other models of androids on Stephen and fluctuations in the Stephen’s hand decrease, but still do not disappear.

“Tony!”

Pepper appears in the workshop as a hurricane, ready to crush here everything, because Stark missed the press conference again. When she notices the android, sitting on a chair at Stark’s desk, she freezes. Stephen’s hand is now fully assembled, but the imitation of the human skin is still deactivated, and traces of the thirium are observed on the edge of the table.

Pepper steps closer to Tony and looks curiously at the android. In Stark Industries there are no any androids, only people, so Pepper is pleased to see the robot here. It always gives her an indescribable sense of curiosity. Not to say that she would like to have one such assistant, but her interest in them is almost at the same level as Tony Stark’s interest.

“It’s …” Her voice rattles a little, and she clears her throat, coming closer and looking at the android. “Is this a new model?”

“This is a prototype.” Tony looks at the table intently, twirls the holographic model of Stephen’s hand, and turns to Pepper only when she asks one more question.

“Android for home assistance?” She steps closer, look at the robot and delays attention to its glowing LED.

“No, it’s a doctor.” Tony turns all the windows and models around with a quick movement of his hand and turns on a chair to Pepper, ready to fully pay attention to her. He spent quite a lot of time here, setting up Stephen.

“It’s new in the line of CyberLife. Android model designed as a neurosurgeon. CyberLife wants to take the highest step in medicine, and this model will give them it. But it is still not perfect. So I need to find out what is wrong with it before approving this project and releasing it to people.”

Tony looks at the robot and sighs. He can perfectly imagine how this android will perform surgeries, as all his movements will be coordinated, as the human factor will no longer interfere with the most complex surgeries. Stephen is perfect for this job; CyberLife has done a great job creating it, picking up the appearance and voice timbre, improving the visual module and memory processor. But only with the most important they screwed up. And not to close this project, in which invested more than a billion dollars, they ask Tony Stark to solve this problem.


	5. Chapter 5

[](https://ibb.co/jhiys8) [](https://ibb.co/mHt9zo)

Pepper Potts looks at the android. Seeing CyberLife’s product in Stark’s workshop is unusual, because Tony rarely takes up work with androids, but if he does it’s always something interesting. At least, this time should be, otherwise he would not spend that much time here, ignoring even the party in his honor that was held after the ceremony.

What kind of damage can this android have? Is there something wrong in the factory settings, or can there is a problem with the thirium pump? Then why did not CyberLife replace its biocomponents?

“What exactly is wrong with it?”

“Stephen, hold out your hand.” Tony nods the android, and Pepper looks at him in surprise, instead of paying attention to the robot, which dutifully pulls out his right fist and unclasps his fingers.

“You gave it a name?” The surprise in her voice is genuine, because, no matter how many androids were in his laboratory or workshop, Tony never gave them names.

“I spend almost all of my time with it, I must somehow call it.” Tony shrugs and walks over to the android, pretending not to notice Pepper’s surprised look. “It has quite strong fluctuations in his right hand, which I can not yet get rid of. Only slightly reduce.”

“Is it not possible to replace the hand with another?” Pepper touches the outstretched android’s wrist and feels small trembling and it seems to be transmitted to her, forcing her fingers to vibrate.

“This is a new model, so there are no compatible androids yet. We can only try to remake and improve.”

“It’s sad, but it still does not absolve you of responsibility for what happened yesterday. You were supposed to be at the ceremony, everyone was waiting for you there.”

Pepper switches to duties again, and Tony completely focused on android. It’s more interesting than hearing about the insulted and offended. Stephen watches them silently, but Tony is sure that a couple of times he saw how the android clearly wanted to insert a word. Maybe Stephen wanted to say something sarcastic again or maybe something useful, but it does not matter anymore. He continues to remain silent.


	6. Chapter 6

[ ](https://ibb.co/fkpPgd) [](https://ibb.co/hnVVMd)

Tony sits in the laboratory till late at night, exploring biocomponents and their reaction to interaction with various elements. He glances at the android, who is interested in something in the corner of the laboratory. Tony rarely gets distracted by him, but still glances at Stephen like he’s the child who needs to look after, so that he does not break anything.

Stark thinks that way about him. He looks with such a glance that he is immediately ready to get angry because of a broken thing, the existence of which he did not know, until Stephen broke it. And Tony already imagines how he will start to scold the android, and Stephen will politely apologize and calculate which approach he needs to choose for Stark in this situation.

“Sir, I remind you that tomorrow you have an appointment,” Jarvis say, and Tony shakes off this sudden vision. “It will not be superfluous if you appear on it looking well rested.”

"We can not move it to a later date?” Tony asks with a little sigh and looking under the microscope reaction of the thirium with chromium, carbon and nickel.

“I do not think that the Board of Directors will be happy about the fourth postponement of the date of this meeting.”

Tony leans back in his chair and takes off his glasses, rubbing his tired eyes.

“You might have a very good point,” he muttered, and looks back at Stephen’s back, where the label of CyberLife glows. “What shall we do with him?”

“You can take the android with you to a meeting,” Jarvis says, and Tony grimaces with annoyance.

He has no desire to drag Stephen with him, as well as leaving him alone in the tower. Of course, Jarvis will cope with the robot, if something happens, but Tony does not want to do it anyway. The best choice would be to finish the work sooner and send the android back to CyberLife, but this option is hardly likely to be executed.

He looks at Stephen, at his dark hair and his shoulders dressed in the standard CyberLife uniform, and thinks that the android will not interfere at the meeting. Tony is sure that if he leave Stephen somewhere in the waiting room or at the information desk, he will quite calmly wait like all other androids.


	7. Chapter 7

[](https://ibb.co/mbOYmo) [](https://ibb.co/jMmVXT)

Tony finally goes to bed, leaving the android in the workshop and advising him not to touch anything. When Stephen nods, Stark looks involuntarily at robot’s hands, which are still shaking. Synthetic skin is damaged with small scars, and Tony feels sorry for this android, because most of the scars are his fault. Yes, of course, he will correct the configuration after the repair, and even solder all the holes that he drilled to disassemble his hand, but now Stephen’s wrists look wounded, as if after an unsuccessful surgery.

He wants to tell him something else, but he does not say anything, just continuing to look at the robot. Standing here in an empty lab, where the lighting is just a diode bluish illumination of several screens, Tony feels himself breathless, when Stephen comes a little closer to him. Stephen waits for him to continue his instructions, but Stark is silent and looks at the android, as if fascinated by him. Stephen is hard to distinguish from a human. Maybe if there was no LED on his temple, Tony would not have taken him for one of CyberLife machines. But Tony knows too well that Stephen is an android.

There is no desire to reach out and touch. Tony does not feel it, although it seems to him that he should, because there is such an atmosphere that implies this feeling. And, maybe, there is something else, something subtle, and something that Tony gets to feel with difficulty. He feels this irresistible desire to just get close to Stephen, and just stand still for a few minutes, looking at the android’s face.

Of course, such thoughts do not arise in Stephen’s, - a priori should not arise in the head of the android, but Tony wants them to be there, at this very moment he so much wants it.

But Stephen is a robot, one of the foremost models in CyberLife lineup, improved and refined for the lack of such system failures.

“Mr. Stark, if that’s all, then you should go and take a rest,” Stephen’s voice, velvety in this silence, echoes through the empty corridors of the tower. “You made it very clear what I should do while spending the night in your workshop. You don’t have to worry, I will not touch…”

“Tony,” Stark says, too spontaneously, even for himself. “You can call me Tony. No need for this pleasantries and formalities.”

Tony seems that he is definitely delighted with the way the LED on Stephen’s temple is uninterrupted flashing after his words. It’s definitely damn inspiring to think about his possible system failures, but it’s still not enough to try and break his program.

“No,” says Stephen, and no matter how offended this, Tony is almost thrilled with this sudden refusal. “I’m quite happy with Mr. Stark.”

Stephen gently smiles at him, and after that Tony finally feels this desire. The desire to reach to him, grab him with his hands and pull him closer. The desire is simply to lean his head to Stephen’s shoulder, inhaling the smell of the thirium.

Of course, Tony does not do any of this. Instead he turns and heads toward his own bedroom, which is several floors higher.

“I thought I should be happy with that, did not I?” he says, turning to the android and not hiding a smile. “It will be necessary to revise your settings in the program tomorrow.”

“Good night, Mr. Stark.”

“Tony!” he repeats, and finally disappears behind the corner, already knowing what Jarvis will going to say about this little thing between him and Stephen when he gets to the bedroom.


	8. Chapter 8

[](https://ibb.co/fFpC68) [](https://ibb.co/kM4C68)

Tony sighs, hoping that his boredom will cease to be ignored. Perhaps it was worthwhile to postpone this meeting, because he was already tired of enduring tedious monotonous conversations. Tony could have spent an hour to discuss problems and solutions, to explain the concept of a new project with CyberLife, and to tell about the opening of a new manufacturing plant that produces biocomponents under the auspices of a subsidiary in Missouri. This meeting already lasts for the fourth hour, and Stark does not hear anything new in the last thirty minutes. He looks at his watch, then clicks on the touch screen and no longer takes part in discussions, have expressing all his thoughts at the beginning of the meeting.  
Looking up at the current head of CyberLife, Adam Hughes, Tony thinks about whether he will begin to be interested in successes in the repair of Stephen. Therefore, Stark thinks in advance of a quick escape route to avoid being run into him in the hallway, when this boring discussion ends. Speaking of Stephen, Tony left him on the first floor at the information desk, and now he hopes that he is still obediently waiting for him. Obedience is programmed into androids and, no matter how unique Stephen was, it should be in him too.  
Slightly stretching, Tony looks at the head of the Department of Futurology and in a moment cheers up when he hears that the topic comes to something interesting. They start talking about Stephen. More precisely, about his model number, consisting of a two-letter series identifier and a three-digit number that Adam finally appropriated to him. DS700.  
"The idea behind this project was the lack of a qualified specialist in this kind of surgery," says Hughes from his seat and looks at Stark. "A human will still be lead in charge of these surgeries, but remember that in the first place it is a human. A change in his mood or illiterate conclusion can lead to a fatal outcome. In the program of this new model of androids, such a malfunction will not occur. His main task is to save a human's life. A set of necessary programs to perform complex operations on the brain, stem cell transplantation and the treatment of the central nervous system. The use of surgical microscopes is not needed for the android. We worked on the optic module, as well as successfully implemented in the program of this model..."  
"Do not forget to add to this list the perfect balancing of the limbs," Tony says from his seat and, when all attention shifts to him, he stretches his lips in a smile.  
"Yes, Mr. Stark is currently adjusting the prototype android." Adam answers with an equally smile and Tony already know that the conversation can not be avoided.  
"Maybe I would not have to do this if it were not amateurs who assembled it."  
Perhaps somewhere deep Tony did not want to say this, but he already said it, and it was never Stark's habit to take back his words, so he just looks at Adam.  
"Your new model has a damaged selector #8031, which was specifically designed for this model, which means that there is no alternative to the faulty part. And now I have to assemble a new selector that will be compatible with the rest of the biocomponents. It takes time.”  
He looks into Adam's eyes and hopes that he answered all of his questions, and when he receives an easy, barely noticeable nod and a faint smile, as if saying that Hughes understands and apologizes, Tony feels that this is for the best.  
In response, they do not say anything sensible, they only agree to wait, but they still remind Tony that by the end of the month the android should already be presented at the presentation in the CyberLife tower in Detroit.


	9. Chapter 9

[ ](https://ibb.co/ci4Oqp)

When the meeting finally comes to an end, Tony is among the first to leave the hall and turn around the corner. He hopes to reach the first floor quickly and take Stephen away, avoiding the looks and conversations with Hughes. But Tony does not see the android when he gets to the information desk. He frowns, sighs deeply and twice mentally curses this pile of plastic. He had made it very clear that Stephen needed to wait for him here.

“Jarvis, our android has disappeared. Can you find him?” says Tony, touching the clock on his wrist.

“There is no need, sir. He is with the head of CyberLife at the main staircase. Apparently someone was faster than you.”

Ignoring the phrase and vexedly heading to the place indicated by Jarvis, Tony already knows exactly how he will scold Stephen for leaving. Noticing Stephen in the company of Adam Hughes, Stark understands that the android seems himself not happy about such a meeting.

“Mr. Stark.” Stephen’s voice does not sound with discomfort, but Tony notices how he steps half a step closer to him as he approaches.

“Tony,” he corrects and looks reluctantly at Hughes. “It was an excellent meeting. Especially that part with the increased efficiency of your robotics. Sorry, Adam, but now we’re leaving.”

“You know, Tony, I wanted to thank you for taking up DS700. Hardly anyone will cope with this breakage better than you.” Adam smiles, puts his hand on Stephen’s shoulder and continues, “And I’m very glad that you brought him today with you. To admit, I could not think that your attitude towards our machines will change.”

Stark looks at Stephen. What could he say to Hughes that he made such hasty conclusions? Or Tony himself somehow behaved that the head of CyberLife had such thoughts. And if so, Tony has no idea what has changed, because everything for him has remained the same as before, at the point where Stephen is still a machine that needs to be repaired.

Tony looks at the android intently and mentally gives himself a good punch in the face. He missed the moment when Stephen became not just another machine, but something he wanted to see, someone he wanted to talk to.

“Who would have thought that you would start treating them not only as machines that you can assemble and disassemble,” Adam smiles and looks at his last creation. “I think you even made friends with him.”

“You think wrong.” Tony feels that a little more and he will take Stephen away from here with force. “Just leaving him alone in the workshop is more expensive. It’s scary to imagine what they can mess things up with Dum-E.”

Noticing the slight confusion on Adam’s face, and foreseeing his next question about who or what the Dum-E is, Tony recalls that the sooner he starts repairing the android, the sooner they can present him to people. But it does not help and Hughes still holds a hand on Stephen’s shoulder, obviously not wanting to let go of him so simply.

“I’m sorry, Tony, but we’ll take DS700 to CyberLife for a couple of days. We need to change some of his settings, given that we finally approved him the model number. We expected to do it tomorrow, but since you came here with him, I do not see any problems to do it today.”

Stark looks surprised, wanting to ask if they can handle this trifle when he’s done with the android, but Hughes shakes his head and, touching Stephen’s hands, subtly scolds Tony for negligence.

“We, apparently, need to improve the appearance of his hands. I dare remind you that even such damage can cause some malfunction. I was sure you knew that. So he will stay with me.”

The news does not lead to confusion; it just spills emptiness inside, like dust. What? Take away the android that is not ready yet?

“It will only take a few days and …”

“If one of your experts climbs up his hands and knocks down at least one tiny wire, I will not undertake to correct it.”

Tony’s voice is suddenly sharp and cold, because he knows that’s exactly what they want to do - to see how much progress Stark has reached. He looks at Stephen, and the expression on his face can interpreted as chagrin, even sadness. Tony turns to him and speaks more gently, barely tired.

“And from you, I’ll demand a report on what was disassembled, is it clear?”

“Yes, Mr. Stark.”

Tony rolls his eyes and easily pats Stephen on the shoulder, suddenly realizing that perhaps after the return the need for Stephen’s name will disappear, and Tony will dryly call him by the model number. This thought is unpleasant and bitter, and Tony hastens to get rid of it, quickly saying goodbye and leaving. Only he feels, or it seems to him, that he feels the gaze that escorted him straight to the door.

When Tony walks into the parking lot and leaves Stark Industries behind, he can not get rid of the feeling that he definitely forgot something and remembered it only now, when it’s no longer there. And Tony knows perfectly well what he has forgotten in this building. He forgot his fucking android.


End file.
